15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn) to rescue Allied prisoners of war in Romania during World War II. Captured Allied prisoners of war waiting for evacuation at Popesti-Leordeni Airfield. Allied prisoners shaking hands and saying goodbye to Romanians. Some Allied prisoners of war are seen wearing Nazi German Stalhelm helmets (worn as souvenirs). United States bombers approaching Popesti Airport to evacuate 1,161 Allied prisoners of war from Romania. Allied POWs begin to move in lines according to their assigned groups. Some prisoners of war waving at the camera. Colonel Krager shoots a handgun to send signal to an incoming bomber. Bombers flying over Popesti Airfield. Crowds of Allied prisoners of war waving and cheering. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber landing at Popesti Airfield.
15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn) to rescue Allied prisoners of war in Romania during World War II. Evacuation of 1,161 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) from Popesti Airfield, near Bucharest, Romania. Captured Allied prisoners of war cheering at the arrival of a United States bomber at Popesti Airfield. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber landing at Popesti Airfield. The first group of prisoners of war board the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. B-17 Flying Fortress bomber departs Popesti Airfield after the first group of POWs boarded the aircraft. Another group of POWs approach a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Fighter escorts circle above Popesti airfield as POWs board bombers to San Giovanni Airfield (Bari), Italy. B-17 Flying Fortress bomber takes off from Popesti Airfield. A prisoner of war wearing a German admiral’s cap and other men waving at the camera during evacuation. Some POWs are holding souvenir handguns as they board the bomber. Soviet soldiers on horseback watch departing Allied POWs’ evacuation. Allied prisoners of war speak to a Soviet soldier. “Germans kaput” says the narrator, pertaining to the only words both Soviet and Allied troops mutually understand.
United States Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers depart from Popesti Airfield during 15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn) during World War II. B-17 Flying Fortress bomber taxiing in the airfield. A B-17 Flying Fortress bomber starts its engines. B-17 Flying Fortress bomber takes off from the airfield. A group of B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in flight heading to Italy. Men viewing the sky from the gun turret.
15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn) to rescue Allied prisoners of war in Romania during World War II. Evacuation of 1,161 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) from Romanian hospitals and Popesti Airfield, near Bucharest, Romania. Men carry injured Allied POWS out of a hospital. An emaciated Allied POW flexes his muscles while lying on a stretcher. Men place the patient in ambulance. A disabled POW with crutches walks out of the hospital. Two men assist another POW walking with crutches. Injured Allied prisoner of war smiling. A POW smiles while walking with two canes. A man on the stretcher smiles as he is being carried out of the hospital for his evacuation. Allied prisoners of war sit inside the bus. Major Colonel Doctor Ford shake hands and say goodbye to the POW evacuees inside the bus. The bus departs for Popesti Airfield. Prisoners of war evacuees wave their hands from the windows of the bus. Groups of buses carrying POWs drive to Popesti Airfield. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber takes off from Popesti Airfield. Groups of POWs form a line before boarding the evacuation bombers. A B-17 Flying Fortress bomber taxiing. Fighter escorts circle above Popesti airfield during the evacuation. Allied POWs wave at the camera goodbye as they board the aircraft. Men carry a prisoner of war on a stretcher to the aircraft. Wounded prisoners of war are given priority to board on evacuation flights. An injured young pilot waiting while lying down on a stretcher. Men raise the stretcher up the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber’s bomb bay door. Injured POWs on stretchers are taken inside the evacuation aircraft through the bomb bay door. Medics accompany injured POWs during the evacuation flight.
A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber takes off from the airfield during 15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn,) to rescue Allied prisoners of war in Romania during World War II. . Men carry an injured airman on a stretcher to a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. The men go under the bomber. Men raise the stretcher up the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber’s bomb bay door. Injured POWs on stretchers are taken inside the evacuation aircraft through the bomb bay door. Prisoners of war assist each other in boarding the aircraft. POWs form a line as they board the aircraft one by one. Some prisoners of war board the aircraft through the belly. A POW (who lost a leg) board the bomber. A prisoner of war smiling before he boards the evacuation bomber. Bomber starts engines. B-17 Flying Fortress bomber taking off from Popesti Airfield.
15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn) to rescue Allied prisoners of war in Romania during World War II. B-17 takes off from Romania. An injured prisoner of war (with head covered in bandages) takes a seat inside plane. A POW smiles while holding a newspaper. Another POW waving goodbye from a window. Groups of bombers in flight. A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber lands in San Giovanni Airfield. Allied prisoners of war disembark from the bomber after landing. United States troops greet their comrades after their evacuation from Romania. A happy reunion for prisoners of war and their comrades in Italy. Former prisoners of war smiling outside the bombers. Chief of Staff Colonel Taylor speaks to the former prisoners of war after their arrival in Italy. Officer gathered, including Colonel Taylor, General Nathan F. Twining, General Bourne.